Abstract—The rapid deployment of large numbers of utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) plants in the United States, combined with heightened expectations of future deployment, has raised concerns about land requirements and associated land-use impacts. Driven by subsidies, mandates and federal and state policies compelling the use of more renewable energy, solar energy facilities are now displacing farmland at an increasing rate. While land leases generally offer protection for landowners so that farms can be reclaimed from the solar. As shown in Map 1, roughly 18% of ground-mounted PV facilities in the U. Yet our understanding of the land requirements of. Ground-based, utility-scale solar panel installations used for electricity generation of 1 MW or greater are commonly referred to as 'solar farms' (US Energy Information Administration, 2020). [Photo: Jim Vondruska, Reuters] Dave Duttlinger's first thought when he saw a dense band of.